The Reclamation has already begun (other failed retry)
by Fade Maybe
Summary: If your'e still following this...might want to reconsider. I'm updating the other story now (the original reclamation has begun). So, this one is pretty much dead. But the original is still alive and better than ever!... which isn't say much. In any event, just go follow and favorite the original and not this one.
1. Prologue

**AN: Let's get some things clear before people start bitching:**

**Science is in this, to explain some things like how the fuck does a ship stop in space by just turning off its engines. I'll try to make the sciency stuff flow into the chapters as best as possible, but if you don't like science, then…that's too bad.**

**OG Character limit: 4 (two major, two minor) AND THAT IS FUCKING IT. But obviously, I'm going to give random names to peoples (random soldiers, people, etc.) I'll try to make them as likeable as possibly, and more enjoyable. I debated whether adding them or not, but, eh, I want to. Don't like it, too bad…**

**Why the fuck in Halo it implies that all of Earth and the whole unity, but with the diversity and names you might as well call it "United States Space Command"? For reals? No Middle Eastern recruits, African, Asian? With names like…Muhammad Ibn-al'Ashad, or Koji Murofushi? No highly religious recruits? No accent ridden recruits? I know they Bungie did a thing with Jorge and Jun in Halo Reach and the farmers speaking Hungarian, and then there's that one really Mexican marine in Halo 2 that always appears that I fondly named Juan, but still. Thomas Lasky? Terrance Hood? John? Kelly? Fred? Palmer? Keyes? Osman? Halsey? Dubbo? Stacker? Johnson? Buck? Lash? Veronica? Forge? Cutter? Don't get me wrong, the characters are great. And I'm not undermining them. And yes, blah, blah, blah, the Spartans are given simple names on purpose. You know Muhammad is a common and simple name in the Middle East? Just saying… But statistically, Asian, Middle Eastern, and African peoples outnumber and are growing a lot more than, well, white people. Unless it implies that the Western Nations set out to colonize first, which might be true since they do hold more power and space status, then that's slightly understandable. Yet their main colonization efforts was after Earth was unified. Just expect some really foreign names for randomly named soldiers and stuff…**

**This I get a lot of flak fore, so let me be clear: I VIEW THE UNITED NATIONS AS: A xenophobic, ethnocentric, propagandist, fascist, totalitarian (possibly communistic. I have to think about that one) dictatorship under Fleet Admiral Lord Terrance Hood.**

**Is this going into philosophical shit throughout the story? You bet your ass. Such as how the fuck can we apply a human-perception bound scenario and how come this became true (in the story) despite species developing in a completely different environment, thus having a unknowable and unaccountable effect on their psychology and culture, being unimaginable to humans like trying to explain a new color.**

**Unfortunately I have a tendency to be more Halo-centric. I try to keep the universes balanced. (AS IN I'LL GIVE BOTH the same amount of story time)**

**If you have any suggestions, post a review…**

**Let's get this God forsaken show on the road…**

* * *

"_For us, the storm has passed. The war is over. But let us never forget those who journeyed into the howling dark and did not return. For their decision required courage beyond measure...sacrifice, and unshakable conviction that their fight; our fight, was elsewhere. As we start to rebuild, this hillside will remain barren, a memorial to heroes fallen. They ennobled all of us, and they shall not be forgotten._"

\- Fleet Admiral Lord Terrance Hood, Supreme Commander of Humanity and all United Nations Space Command Defense Forces during the end of the Great War and the Period of Rebuilding

"_Never before have so many come together from all quarters of the galaxy, but never before have we faced an enemy such as this. The Reapers will show us no mercy so we must give them no quarter. They will terrorize our populations. We must stand fast in the face of that terror. They will advance until our last city falls, but we will not fall. We will prevail. Each of us will be defined by our actions in the coming battle. Stand fast. Stand strong. Stand together. Hackett out._"

\- Fleet Admiral Steven Hackett, Supreme Commander of all Systems Alliance and Citadel Military Forces during the Reaper War

**Aboard UNSC **_**Spirit unto God**_

**18 Light Years outside UNSC Space**

**July 28****th****, 2557 Military Calendar, 08:36**

"-slipspace momentum eliminated, lowering terminal velocity."

"Once you lower terminal velocity, cut engines. I want our velocity momentum coordinates three kilometers out, laying above the _Shadow of Intent_. Use Reaction Control System engines as needed. Inferi, set up a line with the shipmaster. Tell him the UNSC _Spirit unto God _and UNSC _Legend After _are on standby, but our scanners have not picked up the beacon. Unknown what these big bastards are talking about." Captain Mark Florencia ordered, standing upon the bridge to the newly built _Autumn_-class cruiser _Spirit unto God_.

The window revealed the black of the void painted upon those holy skies, dotted by myths of distant light with the boundaries provided by the separations within the viewing glass of the bridge. The quieted engines continued to hum the song of radiation from the recent slipspace jump. As the momentum edged the ship closer, the view of the CAS-class assault cruiser _Shadow of Intent_ emerged slowly as it lay motionless and still in the shrouds of its oddly unique majesty centered around the ship. The majesty surrounding the titan then which Humanity achieved emulation to, leveling the battlefield of despite the years of accumulating massive technological advantages to begin competition against Covenant technology through the use of Forerunner application. Still did the _Spirit _remain in inferiority, with the _Shadow of Intent _holding four kilometers of length against the cruiser. Of course, with the relationships in peace, there wasn't exactly a test between the combaters.

To Mark's bridge held still a bright, yet highly green crew of ten other sailors straight from the naval training academies. The crew, more emphasized by a sense of direct following of the book and a slight awkwardness and youth tainted from those teenage years, went forward with a calming set unlike the hundreds of simulations through training unneeded here at their current level in the assigned field.

Past upon the _Spirit _one-hundred clicks out stood the brother _Autumn _cruiser UNSC _Legend After_, bearing the same build and assortment of armaments common in conventional warfare as a majority of the UN Navy. The hull lights displayed their name, visible even to the _Spirit_'s position.

In the distance, the shining glow of the enigmatic and terrifying presence of the Halo Ring Installation 03 seemingly presenting a glow of light reflected from the local sun. The Ring stood thirteen-thousand kilometers away, bearing habitable worlds and seas to join them. But oh, how it lied with the destruction it could hold against the life of the galaxy. The threat it almost produced those five years ago at the end of the Great War. Yet today, the Ring was not a priority, as the _Spirit unto God _aimed its MAC of the newest enigma recently discovered in stranger ways than usual. The artifact was almost anticlimactic for the colossuses the ones who came before always constructed.

"Ah, sir? This isn't a trench beacon, it's gonna disappear when ya turn it off." A figure said, appearing upon the holo-display of the bridge, who composed himself of a dark blue that painted a youthful face with a skinny body built of a runner athlete, covered by a hoodie and jeans, leading to sneaker shoes. The face itself comprised of curly, light hair that stopped upon only those innocent eyes hiding the alternate depths of the true Forth Generation AI capacity of humanity. An uplifting smirk ran across his face, always hinting something stranger to the personality itself. In a sense, one could only relate to…'innocence' he held, always emerged and distinct through his figure. In any event, the AI figure who named itself "Inferi", of homage to the dead, held a voice of the same age set as his appearance. A voice constantly light and cheerful. Lines of code, crafted of numbers, letters, and zeros and ones ran across his body, emerging through his cloths, traveling downwards and upwards until they disappeared from existence.

"The Shipmaster reported it originated from the artifact. If this is a short range transmission with a slow spread, then we should still receive wavelengths at this distance." Mark responded, slightly annoyed by the purposeful intent of literal configuration. Something the AI coaxed into himself learning it bothered those around him and leaving him in a purer state of beyond, that innocence he loved.

Mark sighed, unknown why of the thousands of captains to ships of the UN Navy these two UNSC ships were picked to venture on with this mission along in the presence of the Covenant Splinter Cell. In reality, this task would've been assigned to the greatest warship Humanity has ever built, the UNSC _Infinity_. But from the odd events four days ago, the ship worn itself from battling the opposed threats of the Covenant Remnants who dared attack the homworld. Indeed, from three months on patrol of Captain Florencia and his crew in the fringes of UNSC space, the beloved and always truthful Office of Naval Intelligence, primarily her holiest highness Admiral Serin Osman herself called upon the services of the patrol group to ensure the Elites do not hinder advantages from Humanity. Being the nearest UN group, ONI wanted them to forage quick as possible, before the contamination by the xeno 'allies'.

"Well, Captain, it seems the beacon disappeared from their scanners a while ago. So they report. But they definitely confirmed it originated from…whatever the hell kinda Forerunner object it is."

Florencia crossed his arms, attending to the holo-display. The blue fade held the few light sources in the darkened room, shining with green dots the captain's brown skin of Neapolitan Italian and Spaniard descent on an oddly youthful face, near the same age group Inferi presented himself in. Black hair bordered on regulation, touching those common brown eyes held surrounded by dark circles and features from the sleepless nights and stressful hours during the War.

And the captain himself lived in the shadow of his age; even in the mindset of the green crew, they oversaw their naivety to momentarily question internally the age of a captain of twenty-seven years. But of what reason he held, he rose in those days in the desperateness of the UNSC in the final days of the Great War. Young naval officers who showed slight leadership potential were thrown into the reigns of command, correlating to the days of the United States and the allies in the Second World War.

"Copy. Have all UNSC ships stay ten kilometers from the object. If the beacon originated from the artifact, no telling where it leads to." Florencia said, looking upon the local orbital map of the solar system, indicating this artifact in an impossible standstill with no eclipse orbit around the sun.

To obvious was the ploy the artifact contained, holding this beacon. Every strategist with a brain (which surprisingly wasn't many) could see it. A lure -unknown how it was obtained- to edge bait closer for investigation possibly positioning something that could pose a threat towards Humanity. After all, Humanity apparently –according to the eggheads- were the "Reclaimers", being the only species to activate Forerunner technology. How the ancients seemingly love to test them at every corner with the failure penalty of death, enforced by the woes of the leftovers from the days of the ancients.

"Rodger dodger, Cap. Relaying orders to the _Legend After_. I'm receiving a new line from the shipmaster, standby. " Inferi said, not even giving Mark a moment as the AI stepped aside for the display of Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum.

An Elite drawn forth upon the blue lights of the display. It was dressed in the white standardized armor of the Commander of Special Operations. It stood above Mark, nearing eight feet and bearing a forced removal of two of its mandibles of the left side, showing the rows of teeth inside the outer flesh. Green lights flickered upon the chest plating covering the muscular, lizard-like body that stood in a constantly slouched position, bringing itself lower than it really is. Yet beyond this, the head itself bore the old helmet of the Covenant days, covering the face that shared those tired features like Mark created during the experiences of the Great War. The Shipmaster looked to Florencia, who stood at attention out of the external needed respect at least.

"Captain? Yes, we received word that Admiral Osman would send support. Our ships are on standby incase this…Forerunner construct presents a more dangerous threat than anticipated." Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum reported. Mark nodded, almost pitying the remnants of religious indoctrination try to surface in the words, zeal destroyed long ago. "Boarding parties are ready to deploy."

"Standby, Shipmaster. We have you at coordinates nine, by seven, by six, at three by four, we are above you at three by five. I recommend we stay ten clicks from the object. You confirm this was a UN distress beacon that originated from the object?"

"Indeed. The signal related to your ships, screaming to be found. Though it now remains in silence."

Mark turned to Inferi, who spoke. "Yes, honey?"

"The artifact? What exactly is it?"

"The artifact is definitely Forerunner from the architectural scans, at least some of the foundations. But besides that, there seems to be a lot of added compartments and other foundational designs. Something definitely not Forerunner, and these individual compartments and foundations contradict each other, completely different builds." Inferi said, presenting an image of the fifteen kilometer object which ONI fondly named "God's Key". "Besides that, the thing obviously hasn't been used in a long time, judging from all the ice formed around the it. From the circuit logic, the energy inputs are strange. It has a direct current energy flow, along the structure. It has an energy pool within that weird, ring part of the object, and then it shoots out towards the tips of the object."

"The way you describe it, is it a weapon of some sort?" The Shipmaster said.

"I have to agree with the Shipmaster, Inferi. A direct energy weapon? Used for what? Defense?"

"Possibly. Though I would've just said something sexual, ha… Uh, anyways, I'm not sure I would call it a weapon, Captain. This thing has no orientation system, so it would only be shooting in one direction. But the energy this artifact can store is…incredible. The pool is so massive in fact, that if an object were to travel along with the open conducts this artifact is showing…. Christ, it would shoot halfway across the galaxy in a matter of a few moments."

"You're suggesting a FTL transportation system? When you say "moments", is time still relative to the artifact?" Mark said, crossing his arms and contemplating on the need of a system.

Forerunners, just like the Covenant and UNSC, used slipspace systems for travel, unneeded of relative flight. And from the backing of Einstein's basic quantum laws, nothing can travel faster than light. This proved correct even in that day, around five-hundred years later. Yet a loophole perceived with the rise of Shaw and Fujikawa, through the rips in the space-time curvature to a deeper realm where special relativity no longer applied.

"Six-hundred years later, and we still don't know a thing what happens when an object goes faster than the speed of light within relative space. When Einstein said ya' need an infinite amount of energy to propel an object that fast, he just meant a' very, very, lot – more than the universe holds - to balance out the increasing relativistic mass. At least this is according to _our_ current understanding of physics. I mean, sir, you can't see it, but the readings are impossible. That's it. To build a pool for this amount of energy is just staggering. I think this could be a Forerunner prototype of something failed and left abandoned when they realized you cannot keep this amount of energy at a stable level, or they stopped the prototype when they realized you simple can't generate this level of energy." Inferi said.

"In any event, Shipmaster, maintain a ten click deck from the artifact. We don't know what this thing is, and its potential. Inferi, contact and send all data to High Command relay for further orders. Do not send a thing to the Office. Set up the three-D perimeter grounds in the meantime.

"…Also, Inferi, make sure Admiral Osman's orders and this artifact are known to HIGHCOM." Mark added.

From the past years which gave away grave experience triggered by interference, charged the Office of Naval Intelligence into the ordering of Captain Florencia for the enforcement of zealous actions in the event if something went wrong, even slightly. Counter measures and guard units were enforced in every position for the quick retreat and protection of themselves. If anything went wrong, Captain Florencia had orders to eliminate the artifact by any means necessary.

As obvious, this was set in by the threats the ancients unleashed, always seemed to be quelled by the Master Chief, God rest his soul. Unfortunately, this crew was stocked with little actual ground combat capabilities. With caution in set, Osman still wanted them to forgo the interiors of the God's Key. This would require too much in the standings Mark held towards the Office.

"You do not trust your Admiral?" The Shipmaster said.

"It's not that, Shipmaster. But the Admiral ordered our group to deploy without a single word from our…"Shipmaster of Shipmasters"."

"Yet you still follow through?"

"That's why we're staying ten klicks out. The part I won't follow is her orders to deploy Marine assault teams or Elite parties on the artifact. She is an admiral though, only reason why I'm here, and we'll follow her orders...we're just stalling for a moment."

The RCS systems activated, causing the ship to rotate about twenty degrees starboard. The artifact display then moved to the portside viewing glass panel. Mark's lungs constricted with applied gravitation of the activated main engines, increasing their velocity, propelling them forward into the plotted trajectory course. The _Shadow of Intent _followed, flying in a smoother manner, seemingly without the use of extra engines to balance Newton's first law.

The image of the shipmaster disappeared, leaving Mark to pay full attention at view. The _Legend After _remained portside of the _Spirit unto God_. Both being _Autumn _cruisers, each used their RCS systems to turn and aim their MACs towards the Key while they still moved starboard. The Covenant ship tilted its roll, those oval shaped wings dipping beneath the artifact's lower grid, directly heading towards the God's Key.

In the settings of space, Newton's First Law hold: An object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an external force. This applied to extreme terms in the bounds of space combat and movement because there is nothing to stop a ship's momentum. A ship's main engines' only purpose is to create force to propel the object (the ship) in the opposite direction the engines were facing. Reaction Control Systems (RCS) were basically hundreds of smaller maneuverable engines placed throughout the outer hull of the ship, acting upon as inertia dampeners to orient and control the pitch, yaw, and roll of the ship. And it prevented the ship from continuing movement after the main engines shut off if the captain ordered the ship to make a complete stop. It also helped with axis flight dynamics. An object moving at a trajectory course from point A to B can move its front (the MAC) into whatever position it wants to. The object can be facing a completely different direction while still moving towards point B with only minor effects to its orientation, velocity, and trajectory.

"How's the distance looking?" Mark said to the younger navigator.

"Uh...ten klicks on all routes." Navigator Nanahara reported.

"Good. Inferi, did you contact HIGHCOM relay like I ordered you to?"

"Didn't you get the memo? Slipspace beacons out here aren't set up yet. That's why the local research station couldn't contact anybody when it got burnt. I've sent a report through the slipspace routes; it'll take a couple hours to reach the homeworld." Inferi reported. It was odd how the AI simply relayed a harsher reality in words holding this persona of innocence. The coldness of those words, no pity for the scientists and security personnel that were wiped out four days ago.

"Fine then. Extend the hard deck to fifteen kilometers, just in case. Keep all weapons aimed at the artifact, shields active, with backup static generators on standby. Get the _Legend After_ to do the same. We'll have our ships keep the starboard flank above the Key by one coordinate at a twenty-two degree angle. See if you can get the shipmaster to place his ship directly beyond that ring of the God's Key.

"Inferi…" Florencia said, observing the encircled rings of the decreased majesty "You said this thing doesn't have any energy stored, right?"

"I didn't say that but it really shouldn't. Nothing that I can read at least."

_Well that's comforting. Thanks, asshole._

Moments passed. The ship entering its intended position with slowed momentum as the RCS engines began to killed it. When the Spirit unto God set itself into position, one of the astronomical watchmen, Lieutenant Commander Ashley Ibn-la'Aheid's scanner screen blinked red.

"Commander, what's wrong?" Mark said.

"Uhh….standby. The God's Key gravitational depression is slightly increasing in size.…Oh, shit."

"What is it?"

"Sir! I'm reading heavy gravitational flux depression coming directly from the object. It looks like a' black hole, sir!" The watchmen reported, almost straining his voice, from his station in surprise.

The emergency lights of the bridge ignited, amassing the dark room in red lights with a constant, blaring alarm. Crewmembers immediately awakened from their calmness, rushing to action stations, skidding and sprinting past each other, preparing for what they've trained for to be unleashed by the words of the captain.

Mark felt the pull of gravity centering towards the front of the bridge, as if tugging his captain's uniform. The RCS engines failed, and a new velocity was created not from their main engines but from the potential gravitational influence. The ship tugged downwards, pulling the rear of the ship upwards giving a scathed view of the artifact. Flares across the hull activated, as RCS engines aimed and shot down, trying to maintain original orientation.

"Captain, the artifact is starting to drag us in, along with the _Legend After _and the _Shadow of_ _Intent_. I'm reading a small electric pulse from inside the energy pool but that's it. Orders, sir?" Inferi said, giving away only the same expression mixed with a hint of complete boredom. It was obvious he was trying to remain calm from the more uncontrolled emotions the Forth Generations possessed.

Something within the mindset of the captain wondered into a channel of unbound reality. The corrosions of engaged visions was thought only as shadows in the corners of sight from the rise of gravitation. Mark didn't speak, only looking upon the situation in a normal fashion.

Different sailors began to yell out details of the situation. Their voices became a murk of screams and yells to the captain. Only a few voices were audible, while the rest were seemingly replaced by whispers.

"Captain, the _Shadow of Intent _is charging plasma channels. They are going to engage. The After's captain is requesting orders, sir!"

"Sir! Space-time curvature depression is increasing in size, the event horizon is expanding. Engines are losing control. Orders!"

Mark felt the pull of the black hole, causing the ship to drift towards the artifact despite the RCS systems and main engines.

"The Event horizon is still expanding. We are two kilometers away and closing. Orders!?"

The artifact itself, encoded in ice, was a single ellipse shaped end that encompassed two rings which entangled each other, forming the center of the oval. At the main curvature of the oval, opposite end to the group of ships, outstretched two arms that surrounded an area of empty space, cutting the full connection of the oval. Main antennas strut out from near the connected side of the oval, giving off no visible wavelength. The ice broke off, falling to present the rings beginning to twist around each other, activating a small ball of dark blue and black light that continued to expand within. With this conquest of space, the rings sped up raising to a speed constant out of control while the ship drew ever closer to those the orbit of death.

"Captain, rings are increasing to eight-hundred-thousand plus revolutions per minute."

_Orders…destroy artifact…._

"Sir, I'm reading another space-time disruption near the first black hole. Two black holes, sir, I repeat, twin black holes. They are morphing together, uh…standby…"

"I'm giving it all she's got, Captain! We are one klick from our event horizon!"

_Destroy…._

"Alright, both two-dimensional shapes are bending and forming together at their combined gravitational influence. They're forming a binary black hole orbit."

"Half-a-click out."

…_Priority?_

Mark didn't respond. The corners of shadow again conceived constriction of sterile air holding the realms of generators. The horrors of the sailors showed with training disappearing every second, and only a single thought flung in the mind of the captain…a start…

"MAC on standby, sir! All weapons are hot and ready at your command."

_Of your destiny._

"Captain! The shipmaster is going to engage without you! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOUR ORDERS, SIR!?" Inferi yelled, breaking the boredom of innocence to relay the necessary counter. His face was filled with panic, voice in the same level of the sight.

The mindset of Mark Florencia to this day questioned itself: why he didn't act sooner? Why of all moments, even during the atrocities of the Great War, did he freeze then? Yet it wasn't of fear, no, this was of unknown. A blank unable to proceed in the proper steps of actions needed. For this, this grave mistake of idiocy, placed Humanity and Earth herself in danger. Of these thoughts, from the darkness he rose to the officer of the United Nations trained like every soldier, to prevent any acts of threat or mystery towards Humanity. Unaffiliated, undamaged by the ice grip he set upon himself…

"We are a quarter away from the event horizon!" Mathematical analyst Ensign Clare Morganson screamed, as she had been for the past few seconds.

Captain Florencia was about to order for the ship maintain a symmetrical alignment of the nose directly towards the God's Key and have the MAC and all weapons fire at will. In the moment the blackness of the void disappeared, replaced in the midst were of bright blue colors. The ship's pitch, along with the roll and yaw, spiraled out of control within this stream, creating gravitation that rocked the ship worse than any engine transmission, or hull breach could provide. The force knocked Florencia to his knees, pulling him and other crew members in an array of directions. The captain quickly grabbed onto the rail of the holo-display, using all his strength to pull him towards the small table.

Through the hell of the bliss the Key started, once more they quickly entered back into the void filled with stars, all out of previous alignment. The ship moved from position, rolling out of control, and pushing forward. Yet within moments, the RCS engines activated, and the ship calmly positioned itself, staring towards the view of the _Shadow of Intent _remaining purposeful and the _Legend After _realigning itself.

And something else laid in the distance. It was surrounded by bursts of red and blue explosions...


	2. Into the Breach

**Better late than never? Am I right or am I right?….Excuse: Work, work, work, more work, increasing work, did I mention work? Well, work, plus work with more work on top of that with a hint of work and work plus more work on top of work, and work, work, did you know I had work? You get the fucking message. The only hours I had free I was so tired and did the best I could with the little time I had**

**Also in the last chapter I think I mixed up inertia and momentum….FML**

**Also yes, the LAST CHAPTER WASN't FCUKING BETAED OKAY? BUT IT's FIXED THANKS TO MY (REAL LIFE) FRIEND WHO IS MORE OF A GRAMMAR NAZI THAN ADOLF GRAMLER. Also thanks to FORGEMaster for giving some tips and ideas, and helping me through this clusterfuck known as March and April.**

**Also I owe my (real life) fried so check out his shitty, awful, clichéd, overdone-idea channel. Guess which of those fucking fucks is fucking me: channel/UCziaQ7iX-blqPPXMarLkUHQ/videos**

**To the people complaining about the UNSC being a dictatorship and all that: I don't give a flying fuck. I won't make them as ridiculous as last time, but other than that I don't fucking care.**

**BTW: Couple of mistakes possibly, my (real life) friend didn't look at it (yet) ETA: two days until mistakes are fixed**

* * *

**Aboard UNSC **_**Spirit unto God**_

**Unknown galactic coordinates positioning**

**July 28****th****, 2557 Military Calendar, 08:51**

Captain Florencia stood straight, leaning against the holo-display and trying not to vomit, feeling a small kick within his stomach that tried to lift on. Inferi remained the same, purposely only showing slight sympathy by misplacing a curl of hair of his avatar.

The crewmembers also got up, pulling themselves back into their stations seats, trying to get the situation down with the sounds of groans, gagging, and along with the next course of gagging, creating splashes against the metal floor.

The captain panicked.

Even in the worse of the war, in the last days of Reach, nothing came over him like this. What would've happened if he ordered sooner to destroy the God's Key? Would the binary black hole orbit spread out of control and commence the vanguard group into spaghettification? The reviews, hindsight, constant regrets of what would've happened if he remained in the bounds of the UN Navy. He needlessly risked his entire crew of two starships, Humans from all walks of life thrown into the pits of an incompetent officer.

And from incompetence bore uncertainty. Where the hell were they?

Of wherever, the new sights of an altered void laid before them in the viewing glass of the _Autumn_-class cruiser, her sister, and xeno ally. The aurora of natural star light curtained the grey metals of the ship as the bridge got a full display of the solar system's yellow sun. The window darkened to counteract, creating a clear view of the black void and the distant stars…

And…

"Get me a status report…" The captain quietly said, whether from shock, fear, distraught, or possibly all three, was unknown. But he could say reality stopped processing in his mind.

"We are at unidentified coordinates, unable to accurately calculate location until I have a definite point of origin." Inferi said. "I'm reading…hundreds of gravitational depressions similar to the God's Key. They're showing the same electrical pulse, but alternate current instead of direct. Massive beta radiation signals from each gravitational depression. I'm not getting an exact number on the depressions; they're showing weird signals when near each other. I'm identifying the God's Key about ten clicks behind us, producing the same binary black hole." Inferi reported, as if there was nothing wrong. "…Ship is fully operational, shields are at full strength, all weapons on standby, and fuel is at ninety-two percent. UNSC _Legend After _and the _Shadow of Intent _are green and combat ready. Okay, from weak distant gravitational influences, it's hard for me to tell the difference between density index and relative distance. I can calculate using blue/red light wave shift parameters and actual long-distance scopes to calculate celestial object position and possibly density, but it will take some time. For the moment we are completely blind. But, the visual views themselves don't lie."

The AI figure turned towards the view, which a quiet and dumbfounded crew was already looking at. The captain only noticed until that moment. Because what laid in the distance absorbed the rays of the solar sun, with masses of murky green areas covered in wisps and swirls of mist covering darker areas of green. It twisted to bathe in the sun, with masses racing towards the light while others were left in finite darkness. And in alteration of God's creation, within the black of the world gatherings of massive orange light and smoke accompanying it that was seemingly visible from space.

Surrounding the planet were the blue and red explosions that painted the bridge in the aurora of their colors. It was unknown where they ignited from, appearing into existence as a ball, bursting, and then disappearing as entities of former selves. A moon was closer to the group. The celestial object was also surrounded by explosions of red and blue, and held the same glow of orange lights on its surface.

In the back of the captain's mind, beginning to see what had happened, new thoughts arose. Fear and regret for whatever happened within the captain's mind during the catastrophe. This idiotic mistake that lead them to a dreadful, horrifying discovery that threatens Earth and Humanity itself, and they were placed in the situation. Similar to the captains and admirals thirty years ago who stood against an unknown threat, which from this unknown, billions were wiped in the religious genocide against Humanity, who placed Humanity on its knees and pulled it towards the pit of extinction.

Yet, fear dominated over regret. And with that, obvious doubt reminisces in the mind. Doubting whether what everything within this situation actually lived to be, maybe this wasn't the real thing; it could be a UNSC colony…under attack, right?

Nobody else moved, still taking in the planet. Inferi tapped a screen next to his avatar. "Alright, Captain, I'm sending out controlled radar bursts. Each individual depression that isn't a planet centers a single space-faring, unnatural object. Each one is moving with random controlled trajectories, unnaturally moving against gravitational influences. Source of gravitational depression reads the same as the God's Key: binary black hole, yet it isn't sucking the unnatural object inside out, or doing anything that a black hole usually does, just like the God's Key. Let's see, it seems to be low-level visible light laser based weapons, but no high-wave for some reason, which would be more efficient. I might be analyzing this wrong-"

"Inferi, what the hell happened?" The captain said, only shock, stopping Inferi from rambling on.

The AI sighed, opening up another computer screen and producing an image of the God's Key. Yet there were small alterations to the design. The end of the ellipse where it connected held a small hollow opening, thinning the connecting structures it the point where the only thing that could hold the structure together was the zero-g force of space.

"For once…" The AI began. "I have to say for now I have no fucking idea. The God's Key created a binary black hole, which is one of the most powerful gravitational influences in astrophysics. From my point of view, excluding all the laws of physics the recent event defied, the black holes caused us to slingshot at a velocity that should've created massive gravitation and turn us flatter than a fucking pancake. We immediately halted from velocity and all momentum was erased without any consequences from kinetic energy."

"The God's Key traveled with us?" Mark asked. "And why isn't the black hole sucking us in again?"

"At this point, sir, I'm not sure I would call this a black hole, since this thing isn't showing any usual gravitational properties of a black hole. Yet whatever kind of property matter it is, is unidentifiable at the moment. I'll continue to analyze, and possibly find a point of origin to calculate our galactic position. As for the God's Key, I'm not sure this is the same one. There was nothing indicating any ability for space movement, but maybe if the binary black hole sling shot it with us too….Either way, I'm glad you turned on the shields beforehand, otherwise we would've collided with a particles and been ripped to shreds.

"For the moment, I'm analyzing two distinct ship designs in conflict. One ship design bare similar characteristics to UN ships, with slight alterations in shorter length and height, but sharing the bulky and angular design Humanity favors. I'm reading sizes varying to single-manned fighters, hundred-sixty meters, five-hundred meters, to one kilometer. These ships hold the colors red and white with a shared symbol, uh, can't identify from the blue scope. As for the other designs, ships bare red and black colorings and look like…Uh, standby, verifying on the blue scope."

Mark looked to the holo-table panels. Inferi was analyzing readings of the planet's atmosphere, and results were processing. The surface itself seemed to be carbon base. But the areas where the orange light was most concentrated produced large readings of unnatural gamma radiation. When Mark looked back to the scorched world, he realized this was too similar to a…

_Glassing._

A glassing out here? Another Covenant-like tactic used to decimate the surface of a planet. His mind moved on, trying to grasp something. Filled with constant classes of processing, mostly pessimistic in the possible future outcome of the situation, the reality hitting the captain in the chest again like a bullet, a terrible situation the United Nations never wanted to be part of again.

Maybe it was just his imagination, but his vision went slightly blurry for a few brief moments. And from the looks of the other sailors, they also had the same physical effect. To be this unlucky or brutally punished by God was unimaginable. It was worse enough for anyone else in the UNSC to encounter this situation, but for them, out of all thirty-one fleets of the UNSC Navy, and the thousands of space-worthy ships?

"Inferi, check all local system formations, planet mass-density rations, and ship foundations with all UNSC databases." Mark said.

"Checking…nothing, sir."

"I need you to be one-hundred percent sure."

"Checking again…nothing. Double-checking…still nothing. Sir, there's nothing within the database. Can't be a hundred percent sure, so you never know."

The beauty of the planet, even its murky green color, paraded itself like a beacon among the chaos, baiting them to land upon its surface.

"Distance of nearest ship?" The captain said, trailed off into hopelessness for a better reality.

"Nearest group, four depressions surrounding the first described ship designs about fifteen-thousand kilometers from our position. I'm picking up a series of gravitational depressions heading towards our ships in the form of…wavelengths? It's going to take me a while to make to recode and make them compatible to our communications. Ships' engines are off and are running on inertia. Judging from the hulls, all ships seemed to have taken heavy damage."

Despite what the captain felt, nothing edged into his words except the confidence and emotional void the voice of every good commander of men possesses. Just like what Florencia should've been. "Inferi, scan and process all information you can. Send immediate threat assessment to Fleet Command through a slipspace transmission burst targeted to any nearby UNSC relay, priority X-X-X dash X-D directive, target assumed as non-hostile. Prep all weapons, and have antimatter-static generators online with backup static generator online. Triple fusion reactors on full energy output operations. Ashley, calculate local star formations with all known databases; Inferi, transfer processers to help him to identify approximate location. Once completed, prep all ships for immediate slipspace jump."

With the silence of the crew, it seemed the soundlessness only punctured the actuality of the world. From hearing the words of their commander, it was final, undeniable. And no amount of training prepared them for this, to see the horrors of their parents, of their family members. The religious zeal of the Covenant glassed in colony after colony. Because of this, first contact procedures were for immediate analysis of all xeno capabilities and technologies and file it immediately to FLEETCOM, then evacuate all UNSC personnel from the area to more suitable defensive locations. From immediate failures, Mark was fulfilling orders.

"Cap, are you sure this is first contact? We…it…" Morganson trailed off, voice filled with shock and absolute fear.

"I'm sure, Ensign." Mark said, no sigh of impatience in his voice. "Forerunner artifacts as lead us here. We have no idea of their technological capabilities, so we have to consider them all a high priority threat-"

"Captain! Identifying new additional contacts, near the first group, seven depressions surrounding three unnatural objects at two kilometers with other four at about one-hundred-sixty meters. _Shadow of Intent _is transferring energy on plasma channels to frontal cannons, they are prepping for engagement." Inferi reported.

"Jesus Christ…" One of the other sailors said.

Mark ordered for the scopes to show the situation. Half of the viewing glass formed up on the situation fifteen-thousand klicks out. The ships were near to what Inferi described. Instead of the emphasis on thin and tall, these ships were only about maybe fifty to one-hundred meters in height and held a wider hull than UNSC counterparts. Two wings expanded downwards at a thirty degree angle from each ship, painted with red strips running down the edge of the hulls. Something came in from their north, a black and red object only outlined and separated from the black void by a greyish tint that absorbed the rays of the sun.

"Inferi, I'm looking at the other ship design. What can you tell me about it?" Mark said.

"Uh, foundational structures are crafted almost like a spine, with multiple, bending metal vertebras connected together which form a central structure connecting what looks like six movable tentacle-like metals. Christ, the thing looks like a literal giant squid. Standby, ship groups are interacting."

The new group appeared into view, and Inferi's description was correct. The main structure near the upper region was like a crescent crown shaping with a thin, elongated body splitting apart into six tentacles, each moving like it holds a mind of its own. Metal pieces, elegant and cut into harsh geometrical shapes, made up the lower region and outer curvatures of the crescent to the main structure, creating a sense of a completely flexible body. It was larger than the _Autumn-_class cruiser, yet thinner possibly providing a cramp and dangerous fitting room for the crew. But from their designs, these things weren't meant to withstand long-range combat maneuvers, especially with its plethora of bendable points. The tentacles reached back, acting like retractable wings as if drag were a factor out here in space, but it could be possible these tentacles possessed another set of engines for velocity increase. It was a designed knife, meant to move in close and slash the enemy apart.

The other ships, unlike the menace this thing glowed, stopped mid-space without any visual evidence of RCS engines. The ships turned toward the squid, blue flares igniting off the hulls of their ships creating shreds of light that attacked their enemy. Those blue lights never touched the physical base of the squid, bouncing off whatever type of shield they possess. The squids returned fire, shooting a beam of pure red and black light in the midst of the tentacles under the bottom base of the main structure. Overpowering what little shields the ships had, the beam sliced through their hulls, quickly cutting them in pieces while fires burst from the breaches and was fueled by escaping air.

In only a few minutes, it was over. So quick that the first group wasn't even able to provide a tactical counter strike against an overpowering enemy. The squids still moved forward at thousands of kilometers per hour, moving like a fast strike group. The squids turned toward their own ships, twisting at an impossible angle without visible RCS systems and momentum that surely should've killed all the crew inside from the mere increased gravitation.

"Captain, squid vessels are turning towards us. Increasing speed for what looks like an attack run. I've got a secondary squid group coming from our above, three one-sixty classes and one two kilometer class." Inferi said, moving a screen to show the closing of the squids and UNSC group.

The squids, showing their fronts, feared by all those who oppose them. Their tentacles folded back like flaps directing wind current. The smaller squids tagged on both sides of the larger ships, protecting the flank.

"Get that priority slipspace burst out now! Inferi, calculate a slipspace trajectory!"

"Negative, Captain, I won't allow it. We can't risk the possibility that these xenos might be able to track us down! That's direct violation of Cole Protocol."

Mark understood, not even stopping to doubt Inferi's decision. "Understood, Inferi. We won't risk Humanity. Get a tactical solar map of the system and recode those wavelengths; I don't care how, just do it, ASAP! Unknown planet is now down for orientation and movement guidance. Target MAC cannon at nearest closing xeno squid. Get me a horn on all free wavelengths, including slipspace, send out immediate handshake."

The red lights of the emergency alarm ringed again. For a brief moment, the sailors still didn't move. Whether it was from fear, doubt in their leader's abilities, or a combination of both will never be known. But whatever held them was quickly broken, and once again the crew members ready at action stations, turning on master arms for all weapon system and prepping for possible slight maneuver trajectories in order to avoid precision lasers.

The communications opened up, and Mark spoke. "This is Captain Mark Florencia of the United Nations Space Command _Spirit unto God _to unidentified vessels, remain at a five-thousand klick deck or we will use deadly force-"

"INCOMING! BRACE! BRACE!" Ashley yelled.

A pure black and red beam, uninterrupted from the void smashed against the hull of the _Spirit unto God_. Photons easily passed through the gaps between the controlled antimatter atoms, slightly scarring the hull yet reducing the possible destruction. The bridge vibrated, with the viewing glass transforming into a painting of outer bright red encircling black and dark red colors. Soon, it ceased, showing the planet and the explosions, the void, and the _Shadow of Intent _and the _Legend After._

"Sir, static is at sixty-four percent, all other systems are online. No hull damage" Inferi reported.

_Christ Jesus, I beg of you to save us from another Great War._

Mark immediately ordered for all crew members to action stations and counter movement. The ships along with the _Spirit unto God _followed the commands. The _Legend After_ moved south about two-hundred kilometers, flares bursting around the ship and retro-grade engines orienting the ship towards north to intercept the incoming secondary group. The _Spirit unto God_'s main engines and upper back RCS engines ignited, increasing velocity, moving it at an eight degree angle downwards in an arc pointed eastwards at a calmly bended curvature vector. The front of the ship orientated perpendicular with the MAC facing west. Hopefully, the xeno bastards will pass them by to engage the main group at their current accelerating momentum, then the Mark's ship will intercept. The shipmaster has been cleared for engagement; he'll defend the _Legend After _if the first group is quicker than Mark thought.

The _Spirit unto God _moved forward, yet twisting away from the planet. The tactical map began to display the calculated arc, including the aphelion of the created orbit and timetable to calculate when to move to preferable orientation and RCS engine bursts to maintain curve. Nearing the planet's gravitational pull, a new eclipse appeared on the map that was connected to the ship, indicating it formed into a satellite with an easily manipulated weak gravitational orbit.

Like usual, breathing any small breathe became a challenge, and the corners of vision blackened from increased gravitation. The tac-map showed the calculated trajectory of the xenos, still charging straight forward, velocity gaining more momentum, facing plasma bombardments as the _Shadow of Intent _opened up with flashes of blue fire roaring onwards, completely engulfing one of the one-sixty classes in light, leaving only burnt wreckage and ashes from the thousands of degrees of plasma. The second xeno group coming from the north fired up their main weapons, combating against a six-hundred ton slug of tungsten fired from the MAC gun of the _Legend After_, traveling at thirty-thousand meters per second. The first slug missed, with the xeno seemingly making quick adjustments, firing back with black and red lasers that concentrated in pure beams.

Archer pods responded, about ten of them firing from the _Legend After_, each racing towards the squids with trails of smoke following. They were nearing, only meeting a series of smaller lasers eliminate them all. Of course point-defense guns would be present in their hands.

The MAC gun shot off another round, ripping off the leg of a two-klick squid. Nothing seemed to indicate an alteration in velocity, as it still pushed forward along with ripped pieces that traveled with the beast. The _Spirit unto God _reached the aphelion of the arc, RCS engines constantly switching on and off at this point, trying to keep a constant velocity.

The ship was finally reaching the end of the trajectory route; RCS engines pushed against the portside hull, with contrapositive force balancing the ship to face towards the squids. And what should've been an easy maneuver, was halted by an impossible feat.

The one two-klick squid along with two one-sixties immediately slowed down to low speeds, creating a force that should've killed all the crew within the ship. It only took a seventy-five kilometer drift when all of them turned towards Mark's ship, red and black beams firing against the static-antimatter barriers while they charged.

Their maneuver had no shock effect to the crew, events moving too quickly to properly analyze how they performed an impossible decrease in velocity without tearing the squid ship apart.

But what did set in was that no long-range geometric maneuver would work in this situation. If say they were to continue the arc to create a half-oval, the squids could simple slow down and charge forward idiotically. It was obvious they were a lot faster and maneuverable than UNSC ships. Just like the days of the Great War, this made it where UNSC ships had to rely on sniper distance, using MAC cannons, nuclear missiles, and Archer Pods, only with little evasion maneuverability.

"Inferi, get me a velocity analysis!" Mark said.

"Unknown how the fuck they maneuvered at that speed, but I got a massive decrease of density within one of the black holes and a huge increase in the other; I'll continue to analyze. Massive high-speed maneuverability capacities, UNSC ships can't match. I suggest immediate regroup with the _Shadow of Intent _and the _Legend After_. Form up a defensive bubble and try to keep these squid bastards back."

The squids were getting closer to the _Spirit unto God_. Inferi opened up the MAC. Two beams of light shot off, directly hitting one of the one-sixty squids and crushing it to ash. The other sliced off two tentacles of the main squid, the metals shredding against each other as the bastard still kept moving forward. Fifty millimeters followed, lighting the void with trails of dots as each shell bounced off harlessly against the protective red and black casing.

The squid was only two thousand kilometers away, opening up its tentacles to...

"BRACE! BRACE!" Mark yelled, dropping to the floor and hanging onto the holo-display. The portside hull disappeared in the squid's grip, blocking the entire bridge window in the mass of a red, robotic tentacle, forming cracks around the gripped areas. He felt the ship push backwards, continuing without anything stopping its inertia. There was a muffled sound, metal clashing on metal and a rupture of hull integrity.

"Fire every Archer Pod we have at the fucker, designated A1! Prep all security teams for a boarding attempt and get all Longsword interceptors to launch out of the starboard hangers, armed with tactical missiles armed for bear! Tell them to engage the lower structure, dive under the tentacles to disable their main laser before it rips us apart!" Mark yelled.

Again, for the hundredth time the bridge shook with ferocity. The squid fired its main laser, beginning to use it in the likes of a mining drill to cut through what was left of the static of the shields.

The fifty millimeters continued to make their attack, viewable from the side window of the main viewing glass as bullet after bullet were ejected towards either the tentacles or the main laser, reaching the titanium-A3 hull armor. Archer Pods launched, readjusting to only be shot down by what seemed like the squid's own point-defense systems located to protect the laser battery. The laser finally disrupted the static, forming a hole in the molecular chambers. Merely in a few seconds, the rest of the static collapsed, forcing the antimatter to reside back to the containment generators and allowing the continuous red pillar to break through, scarring the Titanium-A3 hull armor, slowing drilling towards the interior.

With this fire, never ending, backup shield generators won't be able to reform the static field around the ship, allowing the antimatter to fill in. The red beam ripped apart the hull, breaking through about two inches of the two-foot titanium armor.

"Evacuate and seal off the attacked sections of the ship. _Legend After_, _Shadow of Intent_, we can't shake this bastard off, can you position yourselves to provide support!?" Mark yelled through the local fleetcomms.

"Negative, Human! We are currently engaging the bastards. The _Legend After _has sustained severe hull damages and weapons failure in the engagement! The enemy is bringing in reinforcements; they're going to cut us off from the Forerunner construct. We can't engage directly, nor can we outrun them, we'll try and use the gravity of the moon to sling shot to your position to try to outmaneuver the others! It'll take some time!" Shipmaster 'Vadum's voice said through the comms.

The captain turned to the bluescope and tactical display, seeing the revelations of a burning _Legend After _with holes throughout the ship. The _Shadow of Intent_ still remained in the portside position of the UNSC ship, using the engine propulsion along with the _Legend After_, speeding off towards the moon. They're image quickly disappeared into the void, prompting the squid bastards to follow with readjusts as they shot off.

Before Mark could respond, whether of annoyance how the Shipmaster thought he could hold off the faster squids while commencing a slingshot, pressure of the situation, or calmness as the UNSC trained in him will never are known. The squid cut through the titanium, breaking through the outer hallways. Finally, the first Longsword teams were transported and launched off from their hangers.

The interceptors used the gravity of the _Spirit _to stick to the under hull, emerging under the squid as Inferi continued to distract its point-defense systems with the firing of more Archer Pods. The squid responded fiercely by a swarm of seemingly small, robotic eyes firing off from the back hangers, maneuvering under the squid to engage the Longswords.

From the holo-display showed the laser breaking through the armor, reaching the first essence of abandoned hallways and divisional areas, scraping out the little remaining oxygen in the area. The Swords engaged the hundreds of eye fighters, squad captains taking control as they maneuvered through the swarm, letting fighters pass while they fired smaller lasers to knock out the triangle-shaped fighters. Inferi moved half of the point-defense systems, targeting the eye fighters as the Sword squads pushed onward, twisting their roll while climbing up, containing little causality taken in the chaotic, rhythmic mess.

The squid also divided its point-defense system, engaging both the Archer Pods and Longswords. It was smart enough to keep its tentacles away from the MAC. The _Spirit unto God _tried to bank starboard, in efforts to shake the bastard off only to be halted by more added weight with the smaller squid curving upwards above the large bastard, attaching onto the starboard side of the ship, beginning to cut away at the armor. The UN ship was unable to use its engines properly with the added weight. The constant inertia velocity increased with momentum, pulled in to its orbit. The figures of the moon was visible, another assortments of glassings upon the surface similar to the main planet.

All this took in the span of less than two minutes. Mark turned to his AI, who spoke. "Captain, they're going to cut the ship in half!"

"Where the hell is the Shipmaster!?"

"Squids caught up to them converse side of the moon. The group is in heavy engagement, the other ship design contact got involve. It seems this contact is providing the _Shadow of Intent _support!"

The smaller squids easily cut through the armor, zero time for a counter, with Inferi the only ones fast enough to close off the breached sections of the ship. The two-k squid reached the fifty meter mark through the ship, nearing the interior foundations and vital generators to the _Autumn_-class cruiser. Within the display status of the ship, oxygen/nitrogen levels were depleting with the force of cutting off rooms and sacrificing the holy substance. Power intervals were being cut, forcing to relay the transmissions through the center electrical routes of the ship, reserved only for prioritized necessities. Crew count suffered with the laser slowly edging more and more into the internals.

With the inaccessibility of the Shipmaster and the _Legend After_ the _Spirit unto God_ was trapped, with only a few options left…

"Inferi, status on all lifeboats and hangers!" Mark said. He looked to the display. Bow hull integrity at danger levels, sixty-eight percent.

The Longswords continued, launching missile after missile in the attack against the laser battery. Their efforts from vain rose to providence with a sudden deactivation of the laser battery as the sword interceptors finished if off with bullet fire. But the smaller squid continued permitting a continue deactivation of the shields.

"Bottom hangers are clear, unknown for how long. Some pod sections near the bridge and engines are cleared for takeoff. I can transfer some pods to the launch sections, and Heavy Lift Pods and Pelicans to the hanger. I suggest using the fifty millimeters to try and cut the tentacles and provide cover fire, that's just me…"

The one-sixty enforced their smaller tentacles through the halls and corridors to try and tear the ship from the inside. Alarms of the bridge went off, this time of an emergency power conduct cut off indicating the disablement of one of the triple fusion reactors, causing power surges and failures throughout the whole ship. It'll only be soon enough before the cut off of the next fusion reactor, or worse, damaging it causing an atomic chain reaction.

"Alright, we are abandoning ship! Inferi, arm all Shiva and HAVOK nukes we have and detonate all at my signal. Get all nonessential crew to all available lifeboats, Pelican, and Albatross and Heavy Lift Pods. Relocate all ships to available hangers. Launch immediately when full! We'll be the lasts ones out. Inferi, we're enforcing Cole Protocol. We're taken you with us. Encrypt, corrupt, then delete all data, including the nav computer. Tell all remaining Longswords to retreat and either see if they can regroup with the Shipmaster.

"Get me a horn, establish through all wavelengths, including through slipspace!" Mark ordered.

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Inferi replied.

Hangers began to open and transports made their transfer. The first set of Pelicans launched off, followed by lifeboats.

The channel opened, Mark spoke into it. "Mayday. Mayday. Mayday. This is Captain Mark Florencia of the United Nations Space Command _Spirit unto God_ transmitting on all frequencies; we are going down over an unidentified planet. We are abandoning ship; I'm initiated Cole Protocol and destroying all intel. Hostile unidentified xenos designated as "squids" has committed acts of war against the United Nations and Hu-"

The ship's bridge system completely blacked out for a brief moment, restoring back to only find the crew slightly floating in the air with the reduction of gravity generators by the failed power conversion. Fuel systems were cut from the engines causing shut down and constant propulsion failed, initiating a complete gravitational freefall towards the moon to create an eclipse orbit with a subtraction of one-hundred-meters every second with heavy weight.

The fifty millimeter canons of the _Spirit _turned towards the tentacles, using more shells to try and rip apart the grips. The red metals shredded after every round of light, yet still gripping and tightening ever more.

"Cap, lifeboats are moving, Pods are launching, Pelicans are dropping, and Albatrosses are falling… Evacuations are fifty-five percent complete, trying to clear out the other tentacles to makes this thing move faster, standby!" Inferi yelled.

"Inferi, prep yourself for complete physical data transfer. See if you can get enough tentacles off and move the MAC towards the big bastard-"

"Negative, they're beginning to reach the main power transmissions. Evacuations at sixty-four percent completion-"

The bridge suddenly flew upwards, producing a gravity spike knocking the wind out of Florencia and causing a complete knock down of his body. He lowered his head, gasping for air as he felt his cloths tug towards a depressurized area flowing throughout the ship. He tried to breathe in the sterilized air, begging for breath. The captain looked around to see some other crewmembers do the same.

Mark lifted himself up. He turned to Inferi, who only smirked and crossed his arms, disappearing on the holo-display into a blue light of a data chip attached to the monitor. The captain grabbed the chip, taking it from the display monitor, and stumbled forward.

The crew abandoned their posts, running out the bridge door one by one towards the lifeboat area, grabbing other men and assisting them towards the exit. Mark joined them in a drunken fashion, grabbing a gasping Ibn-la'Aheid from the floor and lifting him to the bridge doors.

Maybe the gravity force knocked Mark up harder than he though. He breathed in, trying to stay in position along with the bridge sailors as the group moved through flashing corridor to corridor. The entire room was consumed in the emergency lights, a heavy sound of threat indicating evacuation lights.

The group was joined by Marines and other sailors. They reached the lifeboats areas where five commanders organized the lifeboats and launched. Mark pushed Ibn-la'Ahied into one of the pods along with the bridge crew. The captain joined the COs, organizing and getting crew into the pods and launching them off.

The ship rumbled again. Mark's feet lifted off the ground, and his stomach felt light. Sailors dressed in yellow, blue, and red filed in guarded by armored Marines carrying mostly MA5B Assault Rifles. One after one pods launched into the void, leaving empty slots only to be filled by another pod rotating like bullet shells.

"Cap, I think that's it. We should get the fuck out of here!" One of the commanders said, seeing after a few seconds one else came.

"Rodger, fill in!" Mark ordered.

The group entered into a vacant pod, jumping into the seats with one of the commanders moving up to the pilot's seat. The door closed, sealing shut and creating the pressurization and air seal. The pod launch door opened revealing the star-filled void. A sudden burst ignited, pushing the pod forward into space and away from the ship

Mark was locked into the seat, watching the two-k bastard blur out the painted letters of the ship's name, placing word after word into ashes. The ship, hull integrity barely holding and remains soon to be disregarded to radioactive waste, displayed proudly like all ships of the UNSC.

The captain took out the holo-chip, inserting the AI chip and displaying a smaller version of Inferi, who looked to Mark.

"Inferi, once we are minimal safe distance from radiation spread and EMP spread, launch the nuke." Mark said.

The lifeboat passed the squid, the pilot manipulating back downwards towards the moon. Mark watched the orbital map on the control console, the lifeboat caught in a lowering orbit around the moon with engines pushing the ellipse into the celestial object.

The boat's window held the moon's gaze, bringing it closer with details of every stray fire and the constant barrage of blue and red lasers battling against each other. The pod was about two-thousand clicks away from surface, curving around the planet towards the appearance of an endless drop at drop of the sphere.

The pod jumped from a fixture of white light that edged at the boat's window. Another gravitational spike encompassed their bodies, forcing a small cough up of blood from Mark onto the floor.

"Nukes detonated. Squid bastards are now ashes and radioactive rubble. Radiation cloud will thin out and only be like regular gamma rays coming from the sun." Inferi said. "Moon looks like it has a stable breathing atmosphere, so hopefully it'll sort out the gamma rays."

"Inferi, the transports and pods won't last with those squid bastards hunting them down. Coordinate all Albatross and Pelican transports to land and organize at a safe section of the moon, if possible. Get the Heavy Lift Pods on station, see if one of the pilots took a Firebase with them, we'll try and establish a FOC on the planet to organize and evacuate the stranded. We aren't leaving men behind." Mark said.

"Aye, aye, sir!"

The captain's head hit the back seat. The view of the moon disappeared behind the eruption of flames forming around the pod with breakage into the atmosphere.

Not unusual did such a celestial object possess such of an atmosphere. The natural surface looked similar to Luna, with creators and canyons craving into the surface. The texture of the geological surface was much darker though than the brother satellite. The dust was almost blackish, much more smoother than the grey ashes.

Pressure built, worsening the condition of the captain's perception, the shadows so close to containing all. The fall felt like an Orbital Drop pod, which was basically a rock falling hundreds of miles per hour.

One-hundred-fifty kilometers away from surface. Wreckage and other structures dotted the corroded surface from the squids and beings of the other contacts. Large plateaus rose, covering the canyons they formed. These raised grounds held networks of trenches that led to areas of cleared depressions containing multiple structures with blue lasers coming from the objects. Two-k squids in the distance fired lasers at random targets, using their tentacles to walk upon the moon's flatter surface areas.

The pod's parachute activated and control engines opened to slow down the brick. The pod was about one klick from the surface. With reduced velocity from air resistance of the atmosphere, the pod was slowing down to less than five-hundred meters. Speed decreased in correlations to the closing surface.

"We are seventy-five kilometers from surface. Uh…ETA: Damn fast. Hang on and pray to whatever god, gods you believe in, boys!" The pilot yelled.

Mark coughed up another round of blood, responding by calmly breathing in and out. He turned off the data-chip and placed it back into his pocket.

_Orders: Establish full First Contact Procedure and try to file full threat assessment to High Command and FLEETCOM. Maintain full enforcement of Cole Protocol at any and all costs._

_Destroy: Any hostile threats as possible. Establish guerilla combat operations with a FOC._

_Priority: Hold out until UNSC evacuation. If they aren't coming, then find a way the hell off this moon._

The blackish rocks neared, the pod flew over a canyon skidding above the surface of another plateau. The pod nearly missed a small tower that was set near an area of building structure.

"Incoming!" The pilot yelled.

Something attacked the pod, leaving only a glare of light. The pod disengaged from a symmetric landing, twisting in a random direction and tumbling towards the surface.

"Brace! Brace! Brace!" The pilot yelled.

The pod twisted one last time, getting a clear view of their trench, their tomb they shall soon inherent. Emptied, filled with the bodies of God knows what, burning under fire. Parachutes and control engines failed, the speed of the pod increasing.

The boat hit the dirt, jolting upwards and leaving another force putting Mark fully surrounded by the shadow.

_Harbinger of your destiny…_


End file.
